SELECT SECTION
Advocate Program
The Society named 84 educators from 36 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and Mexico to serve in the Advocate Program in the 2022–2023 school year. Advocates spend their one-year terms encouraging at least three to five additional students to undertake science and engineering research and help them enter their projects in competitions. 90% of those students are from low-income households and 70% are of a race or ethnicity underrepresented in STEM. To date, Advocates have supported more than 5,100 students through the life of the program; of these, nearly 4,000 students have successfully competed in at least one science research competition.
This year-long professional development program includes an all-expenses-paid trip to attend the Advocate Training Insitute in Washington, DC and a $3,000 stipend.
The Advocate Program in 2022–2023 was made possible by the Arconic Foundation, the Intel Corporation, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, the National Geographic Society and Regeneron.
FROM THE ADVOCATES
Jennifer Gentry
“Many students never experience science in a way that captivates their attention and stimulates their creativity. I’m excited to be part of this program that offers students an opportunity to learn about science in a different way—by being a scientist!”
Collaborative for STEM Education and Outreach (Nashville, Tenn.)
Sunday Iwalaiye
“I work with minority students in the public school district that are underrepresented in STEM. This Advocate Program gives me the opportunity to mentor and to prepare my students to participate in STEM fairs—which may serve as the catalyst that will push some of these students to consider careers in STEM fields.”
Prince George’s County Public Schools (Laurel, Md.)
Raquel Miranda
“I believe the completion of an independent science research project is one of the many available tools for better shaping our society. It empowers the students, creates opportunities for shared knowledge and question-asking and can develop valuable links between a budding researcher and a potential academic institution, through the paths of mentorship and guidance.”
Project Youth 4 Youth International (El Paso, Texas)
SOCIETY BLOG
ADVOCATE TRAINING INSTITUTE
Here are some scenes from the 2022 Advocate Training Institute in Washington, DC.
2021–2022 ADVOCATES
Lead Advocates
- McKenzie Baecker, Two Rivers Public Charter School (Washington, D.C.)
- Scotti Benton, Jasper County Middle School (Monticello, GA)
- Elizabeth Bieri, Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School (Birmingham, AL)
- Robin Driver, Eisenhower High School (Yakima, WA)
- Reshawndra Hutchins-Trapp, Elite Scholars Academy (Jonesboro, GA)
- Jeremy Jonas, Tucson High Magnet School (Tucson, AZ)
- Sam Loftus, Shasta Middle School (Eugene, OR)
- Yajaira Torres-De Jesus, Colegio Rosa Bell (Guaynabo, PR)
Advocates
- Adenike Akinyode, Eastside High School (Gainesville, FL)
- Laura Alberici da Barbiano, Blanson CTE High School (Houston, TX)
- Ramon Benavidez, Del Valle High School (El Paso, TX)
- Dallas Bergstrom, Miller Career & Technology Center (Katy, TX)
- Caitlin Bonham, Kenwood Academy High School (Chicago, IL)
- Humberto Bracho, Frick United Academy of Language (Oakland, CA)
- Justin Brown, Kealakehe High School (Kailua-Kona, HI)
- Leslie Cannon, The ATLAS Academy @ Tennyson Middle School (Waco, TX)
- Philip Clarke, Centennial School District (Gresham, OR)
- Cameron Cooley, Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering (Memphis, TN)
- Sarah Cooper, Southeast Career and Technical (Las Vegas, NV)
- Renee Cordes, Flathead High School (Kalispell, MT)
- Christine Danger, University of Florida & Hillsborough Public Schools (Tampa, FL)
- Lakshmi Darbha, Aavanee.org (Frederick, MD)
- Dannielle Davis, Circle of Excellence Network (St. Louis, MO)
- Michelle Denson, Atlanta Public Schools (Atlanta, GA)
- Jessica Doiron, Freedom High School (Woodbridge, VA)
- Martrice Donaldson, School District of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA)
- Lauren Dudley, Chapman University (Orange, CA)
- Mark Eastburn, Princeton High School (Princeton, NJ)
- Kathleen Galau, Thunder Mountain High School (Juneau, AK)
- Jennifer Gentry, Vanderbilt Collaborative for STEM Education and Outreach (Nashville, TN)
- Christine Girtain, Toms River High School South & Toms River High School North (Toms River, NJ)
- Angela Groves-Price, WP McLean Middle School (Fort Worth, TX)
- Todd Ireland, 100 Black Men of Douglasville, Inc. (Douglasville, GA)
- Sunday Iwalaiye, Prince George’s County Public Schools (Laurel, MD)
- Karen Johnson, Evanston Township High School (Evanston, IL)
- Edwina Kinchington, Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy (Pittsburgh, PA)
- Andrea LaRosa, Westside Middle School Academy (Danbury, CT)
- Debra Las, John Adams Middle School (Rochester, MN)
- Gaurang Limachia, GoSTEM (Chicago, IL)
- Amy Mallozzi, Oregon State University (Corvallis, OR)
- Priscilla Martinez Fuentes, Homer Hanna Early College High School (Brownsville, TX)
- Margarette Marturano, Seminole Ridge High School (Wellington, FL)
- Erin Mayer, Casey Middle School (Boulder, CO)
- Allyson McFalls, Blowing Rock Elementary School (Blowing Rock, NC)
- Amy Melby, Yuma High School (Yuma, CO)
- Ryan Melton, Grenada Career and Technical Center (Grenada, MS)
- Jessica Menchaca, Del Valle ISD (Del Valle, TX)
- Raquel Miranda, Project Youth 4 Youth International (El Paso, TX)
- Lalitha Murali, Glen Hills Middle School (Glendale, WI)
- Jacqueline Nichols, Sunnyside Unified School District (Tucson, AZ)
- Bree Oatman, South Dakota Discovery Center (Pierre, SD)
- Susana Oliu, John Muir High School Early College Magnet (Pasadena CA)
- Yolanda Pender-Bey, Mount Vernon Elementary School (Chicago, IL)
- Macy Pickman, USD 409 (Atchison, KS)
- Eileen Poserio, Wolf Point High School (Wolf Point, MT)
- Cecilie Prine, Lander Middle School (Lander, WY)
- Mary-Elizabeth Quan, Ontario-Montclair School District (Ontario, CA)
- Nate Rayor, Mescalero Apache School (Mescalero, NM)
- Carter Shank, Kings Science and Technology Magnet Center- Omaha Public Schools (Omaha, NE)
- Bradley Spencer, Weber School District (Roy, UT)
- Scott Troy, Westminster High School (Westminster, CO)
- Joshua Truitt, Hilsman Middle School (Athens, GA)
- Kiara T. Vann, Stratford STEM High School (Nashville, TN)
- John Wiley, Challenge School (Denver, CO)
- Sara Yeh, Ray Wiltsey Middle School (Ontario, CA)
- Jean Yoo, Almeria Middle School (Fontana, CA)
OUTREACH & EQUITY
